The Ruling on Prayer in the Times of Dislike for a Reason

The question: The first letter is from Sa'd Saleh al-Fajri. He says in his letter: Some people perform two rak'ahs before Maghrib, relying on: , while others do not pray but sit, relying on the fact that this is a time of prohibition in which prayer is not permissible. We ask you to clarify this matter to us in detail. May Allah reward you with good for us, especially since the Muslims are in doubt about this matter and there is disagreement. May Allah guide you?
Answer: In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his companions, and whoever follows his guidance.
As for what follows: It is established from the noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said: It is also established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he prohibited prayer after Fajr until the sun rises, and prohibited prayer after 'Asr until the sun sets. Therefore, the scholars differed on this issue: Does one pray the greeting of the mosque in 'Asr and Fajr, or not?
The correct view is that one prays them, and that they are not included in the prohibition. The two rak'ahs that one performs upon entering the mosque are not included in the prohibition. This is the correct view and the stronger position; because the hadiths of prohibition are general and have been specified. An exception has been made from them for the congregational prayer for one who missed the congregation; he prays the congregation with the people. If one prayed the congregation in another mosque or in his home thinking that he had missed the congregation, and then he came, he prays 'Asr and Fajr with the people, even if he had already prayed. This is an exception by explicit text.
Likewise, the prayer of tawaf in the time of 'Asr and in the time of Fajr; the correct view is that there is no harm in it; due to the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): So the greeting prayer is like that—the greeting of the mosque—like this. If one enters the mosque after the 'Asr prayer or before sunset, it is better that he prays two rak'ahs and then sits. And if one sits, there is no blame on him. If one sits and does not pray, there is no blame on him due to the strength of the disagreement. But it is not befitting for some of them to disapprove of others; rather, leniency and tolerance are befitting in this. So if one prays them when he enters before sunset, it is better, because it is one of the prayers with a cause. And if one does not pray the two rak'ahs and sits, there is no blame on him. And so with tawaf: if one performs tawaf after 'Asr, or after the Fajr prayer, and prays, it is better. And if one delays the two rak'ahs of tawaf until the sun rises or until the sun sets, there is no blame.
And so with the eclipse prayer: if the sun is eclipsed after 'Asr, or if it rises eclipsed, the correct view is that it is prescribed to pray for it. It is prescribed to pray the eclipse prayer in this case. This is the correct view and the stronger position. And if one leaves that, there is no blame on him due to the strength of the disagreement in this issue.
And by this, the believer knows that there is breadth in the matter, praise be to Allah, and that it is not befitting to be strict and dispute in such cases. The matter is broad in this, and praise be to Allah. If one prays them—meaning: the two rak'ahs, the two rak'ahs of the greeting of the mosque—before the sun sets, or if he enters after the Fajr prayer, there is no blame on him in that, and it is better; because it is one of the prayers with a cause; and because in this state he does not intend to imitate the polytheists. And if one sits, taking the prohibition and not praying the two rak'ahs, there is no blame on him, if Allah wills, and the matter is broad in this as mentioned.
The presenter: Some people say: Is there a broad time and a restricted time in the greeting of the mosque, for example?
The Shaykh: There is no doubt that the broad time is that which is after the prayer, before the sun turns yellow. When it turns yellow, the restricted time comes. The correct view is that there is no blame in praying the greeting absolutely, in the restricted and the broad. And so with the prayer of tawaf. And so with the eclipse prayer. This is the correct view. And if one sits and does not pray the two rak'ahs of the greeting of the mosque, there is no blame, as mentioned, due to the strength of the disagreement; and because it is not befitting for the people of knowledge and the people of faith to dispute in such matters; because each of the two groups has an argument and has evidence. Yes.